Protecting yourself from Deepfakes and AI Scams: best practices and practical solutions

If the previous article painted a rather dark picture of what criminals can achieve through voice and video cloning, now it's time to look at the other side of the coin: how do we protect ourselves? There are some basic common-sense rules that can go a long way, especially when combined with the support of professionals who are used to mapping and providing for these scenarios.

Un approccio a strati: l’unione fa la forza

1. Always verify through a different channel
   You receive a phone call from your boss asking you to make a wire transfer? Better to text them on WhatsApp or send a quick email (to a known address) to confirm. If you have doubts, don’t be afraid to ask questions: scammers rely on your embarrassment or your fear of disappointing someone.
2. Educate and raise awareness among people
   Cybersecurity is often thought of as something for “IT people” only. In reality, it’s a cultural issue: everyone, from technical staff to admin personnel, should know how to spot a suspicious email or raise a red flag if a superior “sounds off.” Training sessions, webinars, and internal workshops, especially with practical examples, can make a huge difference.
3. Update internal procedures
   Il mondo cambia, e così devono fare le aziende. Se una volta bastava una firma su un foglio di carta o un “ok” via telefono, adesso è bene strutturare processi più robusti. Può essere una doppia approvazione per i pagamenti sopra una certa soglia, oppure l’obbligo di un riscontro scritto dopo una chiamata. Non è burocrazia in più, è un’ancora di salvezza contro le frodi.
4. Adopt deepfake detection technologies
   Sembra futuristico, ma esistono già software che analizzano l’audio e il video per trovare tracce di manipolazione. Alcuni riconoscono quando una voce ha “pattern” artificiali, altri controllano i micro-movimenti del viso che un deepfake fatica a replicare. Non è magia, ma serve a offrire un ulteriore livello di difesa, specialmente nelle comunicazioni più delicate.
5. Proteggere le persone più vulnerabili
   A livello familiare, parlate con i vostri genitori anziani o con chi è meno esperto di tecnologia, spiegando che oggi può succedere di tutto, anche che la voce di un nipote non sia quella reale. È una conversazione un po’ fastidiosa, ma può prevenire grandi dispiaceri.

And what if the scam still happens?

Even with all precautions in place, a well-crafted scam can slip through. Sometimes, all it takes is a moment of distraction. If this happens, it is crucial to think on your feet: contact your bank, try to block the transaction, notify the cyber police - and if it regards a company - immediately notify your IT department or management to assess the impact.

Vigilar Group’s support: protection, training, and immediate response

Vigilar Group è un’agenzia di intelligence che da anni opera proprio sul fronte delle truffe online. I nostri servizi mirano a costruire una vera “cintura di sicurezza” intorno ai nostri clienti, grazie a:

• Threat intelligence and monitoring: we constantly track global fraud tactics and alert you in advance when dangerous trends emerge.
• Training and testing: Not just theory, but also simulated phishing and voice-cloning attacks help your team face (and recognize) threats before they’re real.
• Anti-deepfake procedures: we can help revise your workflow, recommend verification protocols, and integrate technologies that detect manipulated audio or video.
• Incident response: if something goes wrong, we act fast to stop transactions, recover data, and provide forensic support to the authorities.

La sicurezza è un percorso, non un traguardo

Unfortunately, ill-intentioned actors will always come up with new scams, but we can make their job much harder. Staying alert, continually learning, and following good practices are the first steps. Add to that the value of having dedicated professionals by your side, working daily to anticipate the next move of cybercriminals, and you’ll be far more resilient.

For more information on how to protect yourself from fraud, scams, and deepfakes, or to request a customized security audit, contact Vigilar Group. We’ll be glad to help you safeguard yourself, your family, and your business from the dark side of Artificial Intelligence.